Mikel Arteta has addressed questions about why he plays Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the left wing.
Since taking charge in December, Gunners head coach Arteta has predominantly favoured Aubameyang playing off the wing, with Eddie Nketiah or Alexandre Lacazette occupying the central number nine role.
But the position change hasn't appeared to affect Aubameyang's output, with the Gabon international scoring his 20th league goal in the 1-1 draw against Leicester.
Speaking after the game, Arteta explained why he perseveres with the tactical decision.
"[He] is scoring a lot of goals coming from that position, he's done it all his career," Arteta said.
"We know he can play as at nine but at the moment the balance of the team is a little bit better like this. He is a team player."
Aubameyang has established himself as one of Europe's best strikers in recent seasons, and many feel Arsenal could profit by playing their most clinical player in his natural position.
One of those include Aubameyang's brother, Willy, who took to Instagram Live on Monday to praise the Arsenal boss, but queried the Spaniard's decision to field the striker on the wing.
"He's [Arteta] a good coach, he's a good coach," he said. "But I don't like when he puts my brother on the left. I don't like this.
"He's a good coach, he's not bad. I don't understand this. I don't understand. I don't like when he plays left, I like when he plays striker.
"But I like him [Arteta], he is good. He has, you know, character."
Aubameyang's current Arsenal contract expires at the end of next season, and there is the possibility that the Gunners could be forced to sell their prized asset instead of losing him for nothing next year.
But Arteta has recently spoken of his optimism that the striker will put pen-to-paper on a new deal at the Emirates.
“It is the way that I feel, the way that I communicate with him, the conversations I have with him and the people around him,” he said last month.
“It is the energy I sense. It is just my opinion, things change in football very quickly, but when you ask me in that moment how I feel about Auba’s future, in this moment I feel that he wants to continue with us and keep developing and help us to become a better team.”
Arsenal next face Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.
